Chemical controls on iron distributions across the subsurface South Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Abstract Iron and nitrogen are the primary nutrients that limit productivity in the ocean. While nitrogen cycling is largely controlled by biology, iron cycling is strongly determined by chemistry because iron losses are driven by abiotic formation of authigenic mineral iron. Here, we apply a mechanistic approach to examine how organic matter across the dissolved-particulate size spectrum controls authigenic iron formation in subsurface waters (>250 m) of the South Pacific Ocean. We find that accounting for the chemical heterogeneity of organic matter is essential for predicting widespread authigenic iron formation. Predicted dissolved and particulate iron concentrations matched observations in the ocean interior, while discrepancies were linked to kinetic control of authigenic iron formation or inputs of particles from the seafloor. Our work shows the need to represent the complexity of abiotic interactions to better resolve the interplay of chemical and biological controls on ocean iron cycling.